Devin McCourty named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Devin McCourty has been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week by the National Football League for his performance in the Patriots’ 29-26 overtime victory over the New York Jets last Sunday. It is the first time that McCourty has earned a player of the week honor.

McCourty returned a first quarter kick 104 yards for a touchdown, the second-longest kickoff return in team history. Ellis Hobbs has the longest return in team history with a 108-yard return for a touchdown at the New York Jets on Sept. 9, 2007. McCourty’s scoring return was the Patriots’ 25th kickoff return for a touchdown and was the sixth kickoff return of at least 100 yards in team history. It is the first AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor for the Patriots since Julian Edelman received the honor in Week 11 last season after he returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown in the Patriots’ 34-3 Monday Night Football victory vs. Kansas City on Nov. 21.

It is the second Player of the Week honor for the Patriots in 2012. Tom Brady was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week following the Patriots’ at Buffalo on Sept. 30, 2012.